William Tollemache, Lord Huntingtower
Encyclopedia
William Lionel Felix Tollemache, Lord Huntingtower (4 July 1820 – 21 December 1872), styled Hon. William Lionel Felix Tollemache until 1840, was a controversial British nobleman, known for his financial entanglements and extramarital affairs.
William was the child and heir apparent of Lionel Tollemache, 8th Earl of Dysart
and his wife Maria. He was described as, about 1861, a "tall, gaunt man, dark", about 5'10" or 6' in height.
Huntingtower was educated at Eton
, which he left at the age of seventeen. His father refused to grant him any allowance whatsoever, and he received from his family only a few hundred pounds from his grandmother in the next four years. Unfortunately, his status as the heir of a large estate allowed him to borrow immense sums, and he led so dissipated a life as to accumulate, by 1841, £220,000 of debt. Among these debts was one of over £19,050 to a London diamond dealer, Dobson. Accordingly, he conveyed to Dobson, for a payment of just under £950, his interest in the family estates and eight life insurance policies, to be redeemable by paying his debt of £20,000.
At the cost of £3,500, Huntingtower succeeded in having himself returned as a Member of Parliament
for Andover
in the election of 1841
; but lacking two days of his majority at the time of the election, was replaced by Lord William Paget
.
Huntingtower attempted to make a living as a horse dealer and coach proprietor, but was declared bankrupt on 2 September 1842 and incarcerated in the Queen's Prison
. Upon examination, the unfortunate Huntingtower was found to be unable to give an account of his assets, and quite unable to understand his accounts.
In 1844, Lord Huntingtower molested or seduced Elizabeth Acford, a maid in the service of his mother, Lady Dysart, and subsequently took her as his mistress. After living together in Scotland, which Acford thought was sufficient to establish a marriage there, they returned and lived several years in England. Acford bore three of Huntingtower's children at this time:
Huntingtower and Acford fell out in early 1848, and he confiscated various letters from her. His financial troubles had resumed again. In October 1848, he deserted her. Acford, destitute, appealed to Lady Dysart for support, which she could only obtain in return for her silence; but eventually this, too, stopped, and Acford was forced upon the relief of the parish in 1850.
On 26 September 1851, Huntingtower married his first cousin, Katherine Elizabeth Camilla Burke (d. 1896), the daughter of Sir Joseph Burke, 11th Baronet, at East Horrington church in Somerset
. They had four children:
On 21 March 1881, the two surviving daughters, Agnes and Agatha, were granted a warrant of precedence as the daughters of an earl.
In 1853, after the death of Dobson, Huntingtower's assignees in bankruptcy sued to overturn the mortgage on the estates and recover the policies, and were successful in having the transaction nullifed by the Court of Chancery
as a fraud upon Lord Huntingtower. In this year, he was again confronted by his mistress, Elizabeth Acford, who had learned of his marriage to Katherine Burke. In the following year, he agreed to pay Acford an annuity of 60 pounds in return for the surrender of his remaining letters. Huntingtower now resumed relations with her, and she bore two more children by Huntingtower:
In 1860, Huntingtower left Katherine, and subsequently took another mistress, Emma Dibble. He had four children by her:
In 1865, Elizabeth sued him for the payment of her annuity, and Huntingtower successfully defended himself by claiming her to be his wife.
Huntingtower died in 1872. His father died in 1878; and a lawsuit was initiated in 1881 by Elizabeth Acford, seeking to have her son, Albert, recognized as Earl of Dysart
, rather than William, Huntingtower's son by Katherine Burke. After reviewing the evidence, the Committee for Privileges concluded that the evidence presented disproved Acford's allegations that she had been married to Lord Huntingtower, and confirmed the succession of William as Earl of Dysart.
William was the child and heir apparent of Lionel Tollemache, 8th Earl of Dysart
Lionel Tollemache, 8th Earl of Dysart
Lionel William John Tollemache, 8th Earl of Dysart , known as Lionel Manners until 1821, as Lionel Tollemache between 1821 and 1833, and styled Lord Huntingtower between 1833 and 1840, was a British peer and Torypolitician.-Background:Dysart was the son of William Manners and Catherine...
and his wife Maria. He was described as, about 1861, a "tall, gaunt man, dark", about 5'10" or 6' in height.
Huntingtower was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, which he left at the age of seventeen. His father refused to grant him any allowance whatsoever, and he received from his family only a few hundred pounds from his grandmother in the next four years. Unfortunately, his status as the heir of a large estate allowed him to borrow immense sums, and he led so dissipated a life as to accumulate, by 1841, £220,000 of debt. Among these debts was one of over £19,050 to a London diamond dealer, Dobson. Accordingly, he conveyed to Dobson, for a payment of just under £950, his interest in the family estates and eight life insurance policies, to be redeemable by paying his debt of £20,000.
At the cost of £3,500, Huntingtower succeeded in having himself returned as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Andover
Andover (UK Parliament constituency)
Andover was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1307, and again from 1586, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough in Hampshire,...
in the election of 1841
United Kingdom general election, 1841
-Seats summary:-Whig MPs who lost their seats:*Viscount Morpeth - Chief Secretary for Ireland*Sir George Strickland, Bt*Sir Henry Barron, 1st Baronet-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987...
; but lacking two days of his majority at the time of the election, was replaced by Lord William Paget
Lord William Paget
Captain Lord William Paget , was a British naval commander and politician.Paget was the second son of Field Marshal Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, by his first wife Lady Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Jersey and Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey...
.
Huntingtower attempted to make a living as a horse dealer and coach proprietor, but was declared bankrupt on 2 September 1842 and incarcerated in the Queen's Prison
King's Bench Prison
The King's Bench Prison was a prison in Southwark, south London, from medieval times until it closed in 1880. It took its name from the King's Bench court of law in which cases of defamation, bankruptcy and other misdemeanours were heard; as such, the prison was often used as a debtor's prison...
. Upon examination, the unfortunate Huntingtower was found to be unable to give an account of his assets, and quite unable to understand his accounts.
In 1844, Lord Huntingtower molested or seduced Elizabeth Acford, a maid in the service of his mother, Lady Dysart, and subsequently took her as his mistress. After living together in Scotland, which Acford thought was sufficient to establish a marriage there, they returned and lived several years in England. Acford bore three of Huntingtower's children at this time:
- Frances Elizabeth Acford (10 September 1845 – ?)
- Elizabeth Frances Acford (21 November 1846 – ?)
- Caroline Acford (14 January 1848 – ?)
Huntingtower and Acford fell out in early 1848, and he confiscated various letters from her. His financial troubles had resumed again. In October 1848, he deserted her. Acford, destitute, appealed to Lady Dysart for support, which she could only obtain in return for her silence; but eventually this, too, stopped, and Acford was forced upon the relief of the parish in 1850.
On 26 September 1851, Huntingtower married his first cousin, Katherine Elizabeth Camilla Burke (d. 1896), the daughter of Sir Joseph Burke, 11th Baronet, at East Horrington church in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. They had four children:
- Hon. Mary Louisa Napoleona Manners Tollemache (21 December 1852 – 20 June 1859)
- Lady Agnes Mary Manners Tollemache (27 June 1855 – 27 July 1912), married Charles Norman Lindsay Scott on 4 February 1882, by whom she had one daughter, Wenefryde Scott, 10th Countess of Dysart
- Lady Agatha Manners Tollemache (16 January 1857 – 8 June 1941), married Richard Bethell, 3rd Baron Westbury on 24 July 1882
- William Tollemache, 9th Earl of DysartWilliam Tollemache, 9th Earl of DysartWilliam John Manners Tollemache, 9th Earl of Dysart in the Peerage of Scotland, was also a Baronet in the Baronetage of Great Britain, Lord Lieutenant of Rutland , and Justice of the Peace for Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.He was a grandson of the 8th Earl, and the son of William Tollemache,...
(1859–1935)
On 21 March 1881, the two surviving daughters, Agnes and Agatha, were granted a warrant of precedence as the daughters of an earl.
In 1853, after the death of Dobson, Huntingtower's assignees in bankruptcy sued to overturn the mortgage on the estates and recover the policies, and were successful in having the transaction nullifed by the Court of Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
as a fraud upon Lord Huntingtower. In this year, he was again confronted by his mistress, Elizabeth Acford, who had learned of his marriage to Katherine Burke. In the following year, he agreed to pay Acford an annuity of 60 pounds in return for the surrender of his remaining letters. Huntingtower now resumed relations with her, and she bore two more children by Huntingtower:
- Charles Frederick William Acford (4 April 1858 – 1858)
- Albert Edwin Acford (15 February 1863 – ?)
In 1860, Huntingtower left Katherine, and subsequently took another mistress, Emma Dibble. He had four children by her:
- John Manners
- Emma Teresa Manners
- Magdalen Manners
- Russell Joseph Manners
In 1865, Elizabeth sued him for the payment of her annuity, and Huntingtower successfully defended himself by claiming her to be his wife.
Huntingtower died in 1872. His father died in 1878; and a lawsuit was initiated in 1881 by Elizabeth Acford, seeking to have her son, Albert, recognized as Earl of Dysart
Earl of Dysart
Earl of Dysart is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1643 for William Murray, who had earlier represented Fowey and East Looe in the English House of Commons. He was made Lord Huntingtower at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. He was succeeded by his daughter, the...
, rather than William, Huntingtower's son by Katherine Burke. After reviewing the evidence, the Committee for Privileges concluded that the evidence presented disproved Acford's allegations that she had been married to Lord Huntingtower, and confirmed the succession of William as Earl of Dysart.